1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for preventing a toilet from overflowing and more particularly pertains to a new toilet anti-overflow device for preventing a toilet bowl from overflowing by a flapper that is stuck in an open position over a flush valve seat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of devices for preventing a toilet from overflowing is known in the prior art. More specifically, devices for preventing a toilet from overflowing heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,662; U.S. Pat. No. 4,910,812; U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,699; U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,534; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 347,881; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,323.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new toilet anti-overflow device. The inventive device includes a toilet with a toilet bowl and a water tank in fluid communication with the toilet bowl. The water tank has a flush valve seat therein and an overflow tube upwardly extending from the flush valve seat. The water tank has a flexible flapper pivotally coupled to the overflow tube and covering the flush valve seat. A collar is slidably disposed around overflow tube. One end of an elongate flexible cable is coupled to the collar. The other end of the cable is wrapped around a spool coupled to a rotating shaft of a motor. A controller is electrically connected to the motor to selectively energize the motor to selectively rotate the rotating shaft. A switch is provided in the toilet bowl and is electrically connected to the controller. The switch activates the controller to energize the motor when the water level in the toilet bowl rises above a predetermine level.
In these respects, the toilet anti-overflow device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing a toilet bowl from overflowing by a flapper that is stuck in an open position over a flush valve seat.